News & Press
2007-08-05
Fall tour with Drop Trio
After taking off July for a little rest and relaxation, 2M is busy finalizing plans for a fall tour with the great Texas jazz-funk band DROP TRIO. (Check out www.droptrio.com and www.myspace.com/droptrio.) As of today, confirmed tour dates include:
Washington, DC
Pittsburgh, PA
Cleveland, OH
Chicago, IL
Madison, WI
Please check back soon for more confirmed dates. We're hoping to add NYC, Saratoga and Indianapolis to the tour. Better yet, sign up for the mailing list and we'll contact you when more dates are added.
Thanks!
Washington, DC
Pittsburgh, PA
Cleveland, OH
Chicago, IL
Madison, WI
Please check back soon for more confirmed dates. We're hoping to add NYC, Saratoga and Indianapolis to the tour. Better yet, sign up for the mailing list and we'll contact you when more dates are added.
Thanks!
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2007-06-13
2M Ready to Kickoff Summer Midwest Tour
Beginning on Tuesday, June 19, Second Movement will embark on its first tour of the midwest. There is already a buzz for the shows, but anyone willing to help promote them is encouraged to contact Jim Moeller at jim@soulevermusic.com. (You will be greatly rewarded for any help that you provide.)
If you live in any of the following areas, please come out to support 2M. If not, please tell any friends and family who do live there. Thanks!
Tuesday, June 19: Cleveland Heights, OH, Nighttown, 7pm
Wednesday, June 20: Pittsburgh, PA, Shadow Lounge, 8pm (with Boston Afrobeat Society)
Thursday, June 21: Indianapolis, IN, WTTS’ Summer Solstice Party at The Rathskeller, 5pm (with Harper)
Friday, June 22: St. Louis, MO, Pops Blue Moon, 9pm
Saturday, June 23: Chicago, IL, Wise Fools Pub, 9pm (with Everyday Atlas and Powers That Be)
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2007-03-22
2M Plays to Packed House at SXSW
2M brought the house down this past Saturday night at Austin's Elephant Room, playing 2 amazing sets before a standing-room-only crowd. Thanks to everyone who came out to support the band. We should be back in the ATX this summer.
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2007-02-21
2M on the front of HybridMagazine.com
Jon Murray from HybridMagazine conducted a detailed review of our LP...
I have to admit; the album cover threw me off. I never would have pegged Second Movement as a jazz-funk combo based on their collage of a barmaid serving drinks in the farming district of the moon. Maybe funk, but not jazz.
Despite judging the album by its cover, I was pleased to find Second Movement's self-titled debut a strong one. Established in New York City in 2003, Second Movement is a quintet comprised of guitar, bass, organ, drum, and alto sax. But, the band shouldn't be labeled strictly a jazz band, nor is it solely a funk band. Through the course of the album, Second Movement touches on jazz, acid-jazz, latin, fusion, pop, funk and they even delve into some soft jazz territory. Which is great if you're into soft jazz.
One thing is consistent: each song resonates a strong groove and a jamband vibe that takes the place of a normal jazz solo. The strong basslines initially catch your attention and make you listen a little closer. But, it wouldn't be accurate to put Second Movement in the same category as jazz-jam-funk band Galactic. Second Movement elects to revisit composed, melodic structures in each song and keep a reasonable leash on the jamming.
On most of the songs, the instruments are panned stereo left and right. This accentuates the interplay between the guitar, horn, and organ. The opening track, "Featherweight", is a great example. Only six minutes into the first song, the band has already found a nice groove before moving on to another style.
With a title like "Batween Tha Sheetz", you know you're about to hear either hardcore rap or slippery funk. Funk it is. Alto saxophonist David Caputo really digs in on this track. This song is in the style of fellow New York, acid-jazz-funk hybrid, Soulive. But, where Soulive has found a musical niche, Second Movement only spends five minutes.
"Anything But Reason" provides the perfect soundtrack for cruising the neighborhood or getting ready to go out on weekend. Guitarist Mark Hanna does a Santana-tastic job on this one. Tracks like this seems to define the intended direction of the band, as does "Moonlight Weightbelt", which is driven by a pulsing bass and a swirling Wurlitzer.
However, songs like "Spellbound" turn another direction. This track sounds like it was ripped off of a Mark Goodson game show. The instruments blend well… almost too well. It's understandable to reinforce the melody line, but occasionally three out of five instruments are playing the same hook, note for note. The result sounds compressed, like a sampled horn section.
"Ev'ry Man A King" provides another quirky style of music. The song starts off reminding you of a hidden world on Super Mario 3. Not long after, it reveals itself to be a goofy, fluffy track that would fit well as a sitcom theme song. It's not surprising that the band has already scored an indie feature.
Overall, the song composition is good, but at times, it seems the band might be restricting itself by conforming to the melody lines. There's a sense of anticipation for the next solo. And that's exactly where Second Movement shines. It's during these fat solos, where the group backs off, that give the songs space and texture.
You have to give Second Movement a lot of credit. They're not afraid to experiment with different styles of music. There's also an unmistakable energy to the group. Rhythmically, the album drives hard and I'll bet they're great to see live. It's not surprising they'll be attending South by Southwest this year. It will be interesting to see if they eventually settle on a particular musical direction down the road or if they keep on changing it up.
Check out the original review HERE
I have to admit; the album cover threw me off. I never would have pegged Second Movement as a jazz-funk combo based on their collage of a barmaid serving drinks in the farming district of the moon. Maybe funk, but not jazz.
Despite judging the album by its cover, I was pleased to find Second Movement's self-titled debut a strong one. Established in New York City in 2003, Second Movement is a quintet comprised of guitar, bass, organ, drum, and alto sax. But, the band shouldn't be labeled strictly a jazz band, nor is it solely a funk band. Through the course of the album, Second Movement touches on jazz, acid-jazz, latin, fusion, pop, funk and they even delve into some soft jazz territory. Which is great if you're into soft jazz.
One thing is consistent: each song resonates a strong groove and a jamband vibe that takes the place of a normal jazz solo. The strong basslines initially catch your attention and make you listen a little closer. But, it wouldn't be accurate to put Second Movement in the same category as jazz-jam-funk band Galactic. Second Movement elects to revisit composed, melodic structures in each song and keep a reasonable leash on the jamming.
On most of the songs, the instruments are panned stereo left and right. This accentuates the interplay between the guitar, horn, and organ. The opening track, "Featherweight", is a great example. Only six minutes into the first song, the band has already found a nice groove before moving on to another style.
With a title like "Batween Tha Sheetz", you know you're about to hear either hardcore rap or slippery funk. Funk it is. Alto saxophonist David Caputo really digs in on this track. This song is in the style of fellow New York, acid-jazz-funk hybrid, Soulive. But, where Soulive has found a musical niche, Second Movement only spends five minutes.
"Anything But Reason" provides the perfect soundtrack for cruising the neighborhood or getting ready to go out on weekend. Guitarist Mark Hanna does a Santana-tastic job on this one. Tracks like this seems to define the intended direction of the band, as does "Moonlight Weightbelt", which is driven by a pulsing bass and a swirling Wurlitzer.
However, songs like "Spellbound" turn another direction. This track sounds like it was ripped off of a Mark Goodson game show. The instruments blend well… almost too well. It's understandable to reinforce the melody line, but occasionally three out of five instruments are playing the same hook, note for note. The result sounds compressed, like a sampled horn section.
"Ev'ry Man A King" provides another quirky style of music. The song starts off reminding you of a hidden world on Super Mario 3. Not long after, it reveals itself to be a goofy, fluffy track that would fit well as a sitcom theme song. It's not surprising that the band has already scored an indie feature.
Overall, the song composition is good, but at times, it seems the band might be restricting itself by conforming to the melody lines. There's a sense of anticipation for the next solo. And that's exactly where Second Movement shines. It's during these fat solos, where the group backs off, that give the songs space and texture.
You have to give Second Movement a lot of credit. They're not afraid to experiment with different styles of music. There's also an unmistakable energy to the group. Rhythmically, the album drives hard and I'll bet they're great to see live. It's not surprising they'll be attending South by Southwest this year. It will be interesting to see if they eventually settle on a particular musical direction down the road or if they keep on changing it up.
Check out the original review HERE
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2007-02-20
Budd Kopman Calls 2M "Supremely Funky"
From AllAboutJazz.com:
Second Movement, the eponymous release by this supremely funky band, is a love-in for the jazzer who likes to move to the groove, even if only at times. Put this disc on your player and you will simply have to move your body. However, these musicians have the genre down to a science and obviously take great pride in being as tight as tight can be.
If you spend much of your listening time in the more subtle and complex rivulets of jazz, Second Movement might very well be refreshing. It might also begin to engage your mind, since these fellows know how to create track architecture which ebbs and flows, leading to a climax. While the music is not harmonically sophisticated, the sum total of the sound, and the way each track evolves through the solos, is more than enough to maintain interest.
Being in a band that thrives on rhythm and groove, drummer Matthew Tredwell and bassist Justin Kimmel lock together to create the main groove that forms the backbone of each track's identity. Keyboardist Thomas Shaw adds the next layer, using various amounts of differing electronics to create a solid wall, when he is not soloing, in front of which Mark Hanna's guitar and David Caputo's alto can play.
What Hanna does is very interesting since many times his sound merges with that of Shaw's. (Or is it vice versa?) When he's not soloing, he comps, plays repetitive figures and generates fills which merge into the overall sound. Hanna and Shaw can easily be thought of as an extremely tight single entity whose efforts build the background.
The more I listened to this record, the more impressive it became as my ears teased apart the layers; the total sound picked me up and practically threw me around the room. In the end, while the record displays Second Movement's extreme skill at what they do, this music is the kind that just must be heard live. Damn!
Check out the original review HERE.
Second Movement, the eponymous release by this supremely funky band, is a love-in for the jazzer who likes to move to the groove, even if only at times. Put this disc on your player and you will simply have to move your body. However, these musicians have the genre down to a science and obviously take great pride in being as tight as tight can be.
If you spend much of your listening time in the more subtle and complex rivulets of jazz, Second Movement might very well be refreshing. It might also begin to engage your mind, since these fellows know how to create track architecture which ebbs and flows, leading to a climax. While the music is not harmonically sophisticated, the sum total of the sound, and the way each track evolves through the solos, is more than enough to maintain interest.
Being in a band that thrives on rhythm and groove, drummer Matthew Tredwell and bassist Justin Kimmel lock together to create the main groove that forms the backbone of each track's identity. Keyboardist Thomas Shaw adds the next layer, using various amounts of differing electronics to create a solid wall, when he is not soloing, in front of which Mark Hanna's guitar and David Caputo's alto can play.
What Hanna does is very interesting since many times his sound merges with that of Shaw's. (Or is it vice versa?) When he's not soloing, he comps, plays repetitive figures and generates fills which merge into the overall sound. Hanna and Shaw can easily be thought of as an extremely tight single entity whose efforts build the background.
The more I listened to this record, the more impressive it became as my ears teased apart the layers; the total sound picked me up and practically threw me around the room. In the end, while the record displays Second Movement's extreme skill at what they do, this music is the kind that just must be heard live. Damn!
Check out the original review HERE.
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2007-02-15
Photos, Audio & Recap of 1/31/07 Show
Photos, audio and a recap of our set at The Saint (Asbury Park, NJ) on January 31, 2007 can be seen at Chris Paul's archives.
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2007-02-14
An "oh so funky" CD review
Brad Walseth of JazzChicago.net posted the following review today. You can check out the original link at www.jazzchicago.net.
Oh so funky, so very funky - this gem of an album from a young group of NYC musicians starts off with the very inaccurately named "Featherweight" - Matthew Tredwell's drums pounding out a heavy beat, while Thomas Shaw's Herbie Hancock-influenced keyboards jitter into reverb crazily. Bassist Justin Kimmel and Guitarist Mark Hanna play off one another and then David Caputo's glorious alto saxophone screaming launches the band into orbit. Reminiscent of funk jazz bands of the 70's like the L.A. Express, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters and The Crusaders - Second Movement works the groove to fill the dancefloor with bopping bodies, but also spins into left of center tangents that will blow the mind.
"Batween tha Sheets" follows and continues the trend of utilizing the funky guitar riffs against funky keyboard comps - into unison sax/keyboard line format that was in such prevelant usage with Tom Scott and the Brecker Brothers back in the day. Not content with merely employing the 70's techniques, however, these talented young players bring their own nuances to bear, resulting in a sound that is both fresh as well as respectful. "Moonlight Weightbelt" calls to mind Tower of Power's "What is Hip?" (not a bad influence at all) with it's driving bass line. It is hard not to move while listening to such hot, rhythmical music, and although the music was recorded in two days - giving it a loose jam-like energy - the interplay is extremely tight. For just one example check out the band's sudden change into the groovy outro on the aforementioned "Moonlight Weightbelt."
"The Hup" adds a delightful West African element that -while taking the band in a different direction - fits nicely with the proceedings; while "Spellbound" revists that sweet melodic 70's pop/jazz sound with good results. Throughout all the playing is tasty by all parties involved, especially saxman Caputo, and keyboardist Shaw - whose chords serve to frame the presentation. "Anything but Reason" is another snaky funk number (with a fun bass solo by Kimmel) reminding one of The Crusaders in their heyday; while "Ev'ry Man a King" surprisingly takes the funk on down to the square dance and nearly burns the barn down in the process.
Album closer "Mid-February Stress Test" (an apt title for our purposes) is a showpiece, wherein the band shifts gears so many times you can almost lose count, yet keeps the groove going ferociously. All the players shine, but guitarist Hanna, Caputo and Shaw again blaze over a tight- as-all-hell rhythm section. When they shift into their intense closing groove - it is a breath-taking, almost heart-stopping experience.
There have been personnel changes since the release of this album, but if the live mp3s from their website are any indication - Second Movement continues in their path of filling the dancefloor with an inviting combination of funk and jazz. And with an upcoming appearance at the 2007 SxSW Festival, and a new CD in the works, this a band to reckon with.
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2007-02-11
New photos and audio
We've added some photos to the PHOTOS page from a recent NYC show. Check out "Gallery 2."
We've also changed the music at the bottom of the site. There are 5 live cuts from our January 31st show at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ, as well as 2 tracks from our album entitled "Second Movement."
Finally, check out the DOWNLOADS page, where you can download a totally free mp3 of a kick-ass "Mid-February Stress Test" from the same Saint show.
We've also changed the music at the bottom of the site. There are 5 live cuts from our January 31st show at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ, as well as 2 tracks from our album entitled "Second Movement."
Finally, check out the DOWNLOADS page, where you can download a totally free mp3 of a kick-ass "Mid-February Stress Test" from the same Saint show.
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2007-01-05
SXSW, here we come!
Second Movement has been chosen to perform at this year's South by Southwest Music Festival, which takes place in Austin, TX from March 14-18. This is an amazing accomplishment for the band, so stay tuned for more info.
We expect to get more details around February 8th.
We expect to get more details around February 8th.
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